Photo: Christmas tree in the townsquare in Porsgrunn, Norway, by Joakim S. Egner.
The first out of four candles have been lit. The countdown to the eve of all eves has begun. White flakes of snow are falling steadily, cloaking the nation in a bright blanket contrasting the permanent darkness of winter. Christmas in the land of vikings and choirboys is nothing short of amazing.
The true beginning of this long-awaited time of year is the first Sunday of Advent when the first candle is lit and the decorations are hung. Christmas trees, however, get saved until the last minute, not that any of us seem to know why exactly.
Advent is huge in Norway, but like most of our traditions, we have no clue where they came from and what they are supposed to mean. Just don't try to argue with us about it, then you'll be in trouble. We are, after all, descendents of the vikings.
Food and the holidays go hand-in-hand. Christmas Eve dinner is the most elaborate meal we devour all year. What it consists of depends on where you are from, except for the creamy rice pudding with berry sauce, seven sorts of cookies, and christmas soda for dessert, which most everyone includes in their feast. Oh, and the potatoes! We can't forget the potatoes, which is my personal favourite, along with kålerabistappe (potato, carrot and swede mash).
The two most popular dishes are ribbe (pork ribs) and pinnekjott (mutton or lamb ribs). There are those who eat fresh cod, smalahove (half a sheep head), or the well-known lutefisk (dried white fish soaked in water for two days before it gets cooked). A more modern way of eating would be to have a Grandiosa, the famous Norwegian frozen pizza.
Before we get to the extravagant meal on Dec. 24, we have to go through what we call Juletid. Juletid is a time full of hygge and kos, meaning cosiness and joy. During this time, most kids will have advent calendars, we'll celebrate Santa Lucia (a holiday celebrated in honor of St. Lucia, a young Christian girl burned at the stake for her faith in 304 A.D.), and bake christmas cookies.
Last, but not least, we enjoy browsing the hectic shopping malls, trying to get just the right presents for everyone. Most husbands do their best to avoid this most-beloved of traditions. There are of course those lucky few with daughters old enough to be put to the task. My dad definitely being one of them. The others spend every year frantically running around the mall late on Dec. 23 trying to find something for their significant other.
The actual celebration starts on lille juleaften, meaning little Christmas Eve. The eve before the eve is usually the day the tree is decorated, and the movie Dinner for One is watched by the majority of the population. You would think we had never seen it before by the uncontrollable laughter, but the fact that most of us can recite every single line in the 17 minute and 46 second black and white movie reveals that is far from true.
Christmas Eve is the eve, and day, of Christmas in Norway. Christmas Day, like it is for most of the world, is not a huge deal. During the day, traditional Christmas movies are watched by everyone no matter their age. Reisen til Julestjernen, Tre Nøtter Til Askepott and Disney Jul are the classic movies that many often prioritize more than the food, and church. Christmas is sung in by the incredible boys choir Sølvguttene at 5 p.m. Mere seconds after the last note has been sung, the TV is switched off and the food is halfway gone.
By the end of dinner, the kids are usually more than ready for the presents to be opened. I don’t know if this is what happens in every home in Norway, but in my house we keep telling ourselves that we will take our time with the presents and watch what everyone gets. That, however, never what happens. With multiple kids under the age of ten, the presents are usually opened within the first 30 minutes.
After the dinner and presents are done for the year the only thing left is the dessert. The overly sweet and filling rice pudding is exactly what we need to finish the night like true Norwegians.
“God Jul A!” (Merry Christmas!)
By: Emma Rusten Natedal, Writer
Check out this video of Americans trying Norwegian Christmas food!
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